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Anthrax scare in N.J. revealed to be different dangerous substance

A recent anthrax scare at a Hopewell Township, N.J., store has been revealed to be an entirely different dangerous substance than originally thought.

Emergency crews were called to a Popcorn Packers store at 12:16 on Friday after several mysterious bags of white powder were found.

Popcorn Packers rents mailboxes to customers. The mail boxes can receive mail deliveries, The Trentonian reports, but police told the newspaper that the six-inch, square, brown cardboard box had no box number or name on it.

If such a package is found, company policy says, an employee may open the package. When an employee did so, several plastic bags of white powder were found.

The Trenton Fire Department's hazmat team quarantined two employees and two customers, The Trentonian reports, including the worker who opened the package, a 22-year old employee, a 44-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman customer.

After quarantining the four outside, a hazmat team entered the business in full protective gear and removed the package. Following testing, the substance was deemed to be cocaine, not anthrax, and the building was declared safe approximately an hour after the initial scare.

Hopewell Police Officer Robart Sparano told The Trentonian that the drugs will be investigated more to determine their origin and intended recipient.